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<\/a>Evergreens are also known as conifers. They make up the bulk of a group of plants called gymnosperms. In my home area we have one conifer that is not evergreen: Larch or Tamarack (Larix). You can also find the deciduous Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) under cultivation. The broadleaf gymnosperm Ginkgo biloba is often planted, but this article will stick to the conifers (Pinophyta). \u201cGymnosperm\u201d means \u201cnaked-seed,\u201d which means that the female part is exposed so that it can be directly pollinated by the male pollen that blows to it on the wind. The angiosperms that are responsible for all the beautiful flowers like Tulips and Roses have female parts that are enclosed and must be reached by the male pollen through the complexity of the flower.<\/p>\nRecognizing a gymnosperm is relatively easy. Look for the \u201cPine Trees\u201d (or, more properly, the conifers). But take note that while many refer to any conifer, or evergreen, as a Pine Tree there are really three botanical families represented in our area: the Pine, Cypress, and Yew families. So, \u201cPine\u201d means \u201cPinus\u201d and \u201cPine family\u201d means \u201cPinaceae.\u201d As this is my first SurvivalCache article on the subject, I am focusing on the area I know best- the Northeast (particularly that which is centralized in the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania tri-state area, or the Delaware River valley) to discuss some species and introduce some basic botany and survival considerations. For future posts I will discuss other regions of the country.<\/p>\n
The Pine family contains several genera. Pinus (Pine), Picea (Spruce), Abies (Fir), Tsuga (Hemlock), and Larix (Larch) are found in our area. Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) and some others (including non-indigenous Pine) can be found in cultivation. I regularly use White Pine, which is partially due to it being more common in my area than the other Pines. I also commonly make use of Hemlock, which is a primary tree of certain forests and the host of one of my favorite medicinal mushrooms, Ganoderma tsugae (Reishi). This is a very useful plant family for the survivalist to get to know.<\/p>\n
The Cypress family has Taxodium (Bald Cypress), Thuja (Arbor-vitae), Chamaecyparis (Atlantic White-cedar), and Juniperus (Juniper and Red Cedar). There are many medicinal uses of species in Cupressaseae, but it should be regarded as less edible in general than the Pine family. Thuja essential oil, for instance, is considered quite toxic.<\/p>\n
The Yew family is mostly found in landscapes as our native Taxus (Yew) is over-browsed by deer. English and Japanese domestic varieties are quite common under cultivation and sometimes naturalize (spread into the wild from cultivation). Yews are toxic.<\/p>\n
So, to avoid poisoning, the beginner should quickly learn the difference between Yews and the others, especially the Hemlock and Fir that superficially resemble Taxus because of the leaf (needle) arrangement. The red \u201cberry\u201d of Taxus is edible, but not the seed (which is actually visible, indicating it is a gymnosperm, in the cup-shaped \u201cberry\u201d). It is very common for poisonous plants to concentrate toxins in the seeds while producing an innocuous fruit. The Pines and Yews have needles while the Cypress family has scale-like leaves. (One exception to this generalization is Bald Cypress, which has needle-like leaves that alternate on deciduous terminal twigs.) They are all needle-like in a way, but you will notice the scale quality in the Cypress family, such as with Juniperus or Thuja. If you then learn to recognize the Yew needles (which are rare in the wild anyway), the remainder varieties of needles can be known as belonging to members of the Pine family.<\/p>\n Pinaceae \u2013 Pine Family<\/p>\n Pinaceae is the representative family of the gymnosperms, as the group consists of the most quintessential evergreen trees. They tend to be pitchy (they have thick, sticky, aromatic sap), with a piney or citrus-like scent. Their leaves are needles. And they have the most quintessential cones (often called \u201cpine cones\u201d no matter what genus they occur on, even if the genus is of another family), compared to the berry-like cones of Juniperus and Taxus (Yew), for instance. The cones have spirally arranged scales and the seeds have wings.<\/p>\n One of the easiest ways to get to know this family of trees is to get to know the individual genera: Pinus, Tsuga, Picea, Larix, and Abies of our area. Cedrus and Pseudotsuga are native to other parts of the country. Cathaya, Pseudolarix, Keteleeria, and Nothotsuga are native to China.<\/p>\n scotch_pinePinus sylvestris (Scotch Pine or Scot\u2019s Pine) is the most widely distributed Pine. It was brought here from Europe and can normally be found along driveways and cultivated lands. It can be easily distinguished from the other common species by its orange-shaded upper bark and the light blue-green of its needles. It has been used extensively in traditional European medicine and has also been used for pharmaceutical preparations.<\/p>\n The Ojibwa used Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) to to revive consciousness. Arthritis, muscle pains, sores, wounds, and pains associated with colds and febrile illnesses have all been treated with various Pinaceae species. Our most common native species, White Pine (Pinus strobus) and Pitch Pine (P. rigida) have been used extensively as wild food and medicine. Pines were a primary dietary supplement for winter as a source of vitamin C and to treat coughs, colds, and fevers.<\/p>\n tsuga_canadensis_adelgesHemlock (Tsuga canadensis) has horizontally arranged needles with white stripes (giving a pale appearance on the underside) that are dark green above and have been important for survival in the Northeast similar to Pinus.<\/p>\n Hemlock is a common tree of stream gorges. It hosts a species of Reishi (Ganoderma tsugae) and is being attacked by a devastating insect, the Wooly<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n